Spanish Households Increased Food Spending

SPAIN - The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has published the latest data from the Consumer Panel in households, which shows that during October 2011 to September 2012, the total expenditure on food in Spanish households has amounted to €67.559 million.

This remains relatively stable (+0.5 per cent). There was a slight decline in average prices (-0.4 per cent). With regard to food consumption, there was an increase of +1.0 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The study shows that the continuous increase in the purchase of fresh meat (+1.4 per cent), especially chicken (+2.4 per cent) and pork (+0.4 per cent), while maintaining the descent consumption of sheep/goat (-10.1 per cent) and beef (-1.5 per cent).

In the last 12 months there was increased consumption of dairy products (+3.0 per cent) due to increased milk preparations (+22.4 per cent), dairy desserts (+13.6 per cent), butter (+11.2 per cent), yogurt (+1.2 per cent) and cheese (+0.2 per cent). Consumption of fermented milk saw a slight decline(-0.6 per cent).

There has also been an increase in oil consumption (+1.2 per cent), due to the increasing variety of olive (+1.2 per cent), while maintaining the stable sunflower (-0.3 per cent ).

Regarding dairy products, the data showed a decrease in the consumption of liquid milk (-1.0 per cent) and the purchase of whole and semi-skimmed varieties (-6.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively).

As for the data of the last month of September, a decrease in food consumption is widespread in relation to September 2011.

According to the data analyzed in this period, the household consumption contracted by -2.3 per cent, but the decline in spending is somewhat lower (-1.5 per cent due to slight increase in average prices (+0.7 per cent).

The fall in purchasing fishing products (-3.6 per cent) was as a result of the decline in consumption of frozen fish (11.3 per cent), of canned fish / Shellfish (-6.3 per cent) and Total Shellfish / seafood / shellfish (-5.1 per cent).